The ongoing redevelopment of a former cotton mill that’s home to breweries, restaurants and soon-to-be corporate business tenants will now be the site of one of the country’s largest tiny house destinations.

Rocky Mount Mills recently announced the development of River & Twine, which is the first and only tiny home hotel in Eastern North Carolina. Matt Honeycutt, development manager at Rocky Mount Mills, said the Mills is all about doing things outside the norm as such live, work and play projects are usually associated with dense urban areas and not rural communities.

“At the Rocky Mount Mills, we think outside the box about placemaking experiences,” Honeycutt said. “Transforming a historic cotton mill into a mixed-use destination requires imagination and the allure of tiny homes fits perfectly with that creative approach.”

Tim Rogers, residential leasing specialist for Rocky Mount Mills, said visitors will have the option of staying in either a 20-foot home that will be 188 square feet or a 24-foot home that will be 244 square feet.

The Mills will begin taking reservations in October and begin occupancy sometime in December. Overnight stays will start at $129, which is in line with a stay at a hotel room, and extended stays of 30 days or more will be available, Rogers added.

“This brings an already popular concept to people that have seen tiny homes on HGTV and are interested in tiny homes,” Rogers said. “They can come here and stay in one and try it out. The visitors staying will also have all the access that’s offered at the Mills such as the restaurants, breweries and live musical events.”

Scott Roberts, general manager of the Rocky Mount Mills, said the tiny homes will be ideal for a couple or a couple with a few children.

“This seemed like something that fit our asset market when it comes to Capitol Broadcasting Co.,” Roberts said. “We wanted to do something different that fits in with the historical homes we have and come up with the style of homes that isn’t a traditional hotel.”

The tiny home community will also include groups of five homes that will share amenities, including fire pits, grilling stations, outdoor games and children’s play areas. Mills officials said it will eventually feature woodsy walkways to greenways planned by the city of Rocky Mount along and near the Tar River.

Evan Covington Chavez, real estate development manager for Rocky Mount Mills and Capitol Broadcasting Co., said the River & Twine name comes from the project being near the Tar River and tobacco twine was a product made at the Mills. She said Mills officials considered several different options for providing short-term stay opportunities at the Mills and believe the tiny home hotel concept provides a unique and fun option for people.

“Given that it’s the largest tiny home hotel in the state and the interest in different vacation experiences, we know this will attract people from a wide area to the community,” Chavez said.

Tiny Living and Free Spirit Tiny Homes, which are nationally recognized for its work on small living spaces, are the two homebuilders contracted by Rocky Mount Mills that are doing the project.